Jambalaya Recipe

Jambalaya topped with chopped parsley on a plate

Take a trip down the bayou with the best Jambalaya recipe for busy cooks! This smoky, meaty entrée will conjure warm evenings with a zydeco beat.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword creole recipes, jambalaya recipes, sausage and rice recipes, southern recipes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings -6 servings

Calories 904kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1/2 pound tasso ham, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 pound boneless chicken, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 cups yellow onion
1 cup green bell pepper chopped
1 cup celery diced
1 tablespoon garlic minced
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, including juice
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups converted rice
1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter (3 tablespoons) in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan over high heat. Add the sausage (1/2 pound) and ham (1/2 pound) and brown, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add chicken (3/4 pound) continuing to stir constantly and brown, scraping the bottom of the pan well, for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the meats; adjust the heat as necessary. Add the shrimp (1/2 pound) stirring constantly, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or just until the shrimp turn pink.
Add the onion (1 1/2 cups), green pepper (1 cup), celery (1 cup), and garlic (1 tablespoon). Sautee on medium heat until vegetables are soft about 8 minutes. Add the tomato sauce (1/4 cup) and continue to cook on medium, stirring often, for 1 minute.
Stir in the chicken stock (1 3/4 cups) and whole tomatoes (1 can) (breaking them up as you add them), sage (1/4 teaspoon), salt (1 1/2 teaspoons), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), white pepper (1/2 teaspoon), cayenne pepper (1/2 teaspoon), thyme (1 teaspoon), and bay leaves (2). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover pan with a tight-fitting lid, simmer until rice (1 1/2 cups) is tender and the liquid is absorbed about 20 minutes. Sprinkle top with parsley (1-2 tablespoons) for garnish and Serve.

Notes

Jambalaya Seasoning: Jambalaya spices provide the dish with its classic smoky flavor. Garlic, onion, bay leaves, sage, cayenne, and thyme infuse the rice with that characteristic Southern charm. For best results, blend the spices thoroughly in a separate bowl before sprinkling evenly over the ingredients in your saucepan.
Best Rice for Jambalaya: Converted rice is made from soaked, steamed, dried, and milled brown rice. It is typically fluffier and drier. Here’s why we use converted rice in Jambalaya: the result is firmer and less sticky! Other rice varieties can yield a sloppy mess if you are not careful.
The Cajun Holy Trinity: This trinity will have you reaching for the utility knife instead of the holy water! Green bell pepper, onions, and celery make up the Cajun “holy trinity.” The omnipresence of these three staples – used in the base of many Louisiana-style dishes, from Jambalaya to Gumbo to Fricassee – rivals that of another famous Trinity! (Just kidding, friends.) Where NOLA Eats has a nice video tutorial on slicing and dicing the Cajun trinity. Bless those fingers!
Tasso Ham: Tasso ham is a fatty and flavorful cut of hog shoulder. It might be difficult to locate at your local grocery store, but you can find it online or from a Cajun grocer. Regular ham, Canadian bacon, and Chorizo sausage are common substitutes.
How to Reheat Jambalaya: Reheat in an oven set to 300 degrees. Use an oven-safe dish, sprinkle your with a couple of teaspoons of chicken stock or water (too little and the rice will dry out; too much and the rice will become soggy), cover with aluminum foil, and cook for around 20 minutes. To reheat on the stove, set the heat to medium, add a couple of teaspoons of chicken stock to a large saucepan, and stir occasionally. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes, until it is warmed all the way through.
Andouille Sausage: Andouille is a smoked pork sausage that originated in France. Like Tasso, it can be tricky to come by your regular grocery. What is a good substitute for Andouille Sausage? Mexican chorizo, German bratwurst, and Polish kielbasa are the three typical alternatives.

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